CANADA’S IMMIGRANT

SETTLEMENT SYSTEM

Digital, social, and managerial innovation in an

age of disruption

JARISLOWSKY CHAIR IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

www.mun.ca

Tony Fang, Ph.D. Professor and Stephen Jarislowsky Chair in Cultural and Economic Transformation at Memorial University of Newfoundland

POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD IMMIGRATION IN ATLANTIC CANADA

JARISLOWSKY CHAIR IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

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Source: 2021 Public Opinion Survey on Immigration (Narrative Research and Jarislowsky Chair)

Source: 2021 Survey of Employers Regarding Immigration (Narrative Research and Jarislowsky Chair)

Employer Survey in Atlantic Canada – Willingness to Hire Immigrants

DISRUPTIVE FACTORS

• Economic
• High inflation and increasing cost of living for newcomers; shift toward more social enterprise as COVID-19 shone a light on problems not fixed by for-profit business (e.g., food insecurity, inequality); automation and artificial intelligence adoption; global supply chain constrains and international trade instability in recent years; shift toward more productive industries as immigrant source country economies grow
• Environmental
• COVID fostering disruption (i.e. remote technology adoption); pandemic(s) jeopardizing globalization; potential climate change refugees

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JARISLOWSKY CHAIR IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

DISRUPTIVE FACTORS

• Policy
• AIP and PNP driving regionalization of immigration policy and allowing more room for employers to select and integrate newcomers; COVID spurring on a backlog in the newcomer application system, leading to Express Entry reform for easier entry into Canada, a new Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident pathway,etc.; new temporary resident system to welcome Ukrainians rather than refugee status; some immigration streams filling up immediately, others with a lack of applicants
• Geopolitical
• Potential for heightened conflict could increase refugee levels, possibly from different countries

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JARISLOWSKY CHAIR IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

WHY SHOULD SETTLEMENT AGENCIES INNOVATE?

• To avoid stagnation
• To stay current and relevant on top of trends
• To deliver up-to-date services to their clients as to meet demand
• To seize the disruption opportunities created by COVID-19 and other events
• To ensure their services stay relevant, beneficial, and distinct from government, employer, and community supports

JARISLOWSKY CHAIR IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

DIGITAL INNOVATION

• Leverage digital technologies to streamline processes
• Potential for an integrated, easy to use ‘one-stop shop’ service delivery model
• Collection of data to drive best research and practices and enhance knowledge of newcomers’ wants and needs
• Potential for increased collaboration with other settlement agencies as well as other immigration system stakeholders

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JARISLOWSKY CHAIR IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

SOCIAL INNOVATION

• Enhance cross-sector communications and collaborations
• Ex: New Brunswick’s Economic Immigration Lab
• Be willing to undertake social experiments to strive for more effective approaches
• Look for ways to build up a sense of belonging among newcomers in addition to traditional metrics of success
• Potential for co-creation (beneficiaries getting a say in how services are designed and delivered)

JARISLOWSKY CHAIR IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

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MANAGERIAL INNOVATION

• Think of problems with new mindsets
• Consider market-based pay in order to reduce costly employee turnover
• Focus on core competencies, consider contract out other non-core services (or refer to other providers)
• Explore innovative management practices (e.g., performance-based pay tied to client satisfaction)
• Seek creative ways to generate revenue (e.g. social enterprises) to support long-term mission of the sector

JARISLOWSKY CHAIR IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

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THANK YOU!

JARISLOWSKY CHAIR IN CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION